Fruit-picker.



E. G. & G. N. STAFFORD.

FRUIT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1913.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914 aktmc 1 5 THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHI) m l 1 THO WASHINHIHN n C.

STATES OFFICE.

ELI/ ER CLARENCE STAFFORD AND GEORGE N". STAFFORD, OF UNION PRECINCT, ILLINOIS.

FRUIT-PIGKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 191 1.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ELMER CLARENCE S'rarrono and GEORGE N. STAFFORD, citizens of the United States, residing at Union Precinct, in the county of Pope, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in harvesting devices, and particularly to fruit pickers.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this character which can be suspended from the neck or shoulders of the operator and which is simple and convenient in operation, enabling the operator to clip fruit from the branches either directly in front of him or to either side without the necessity of turning or twisting the cutter to any great extent.

Another object is to provide a simple and novel means for adjusting the bag or container to various depths, for letting the same out as the fruit is deposited therein.

Other objects and advantages reside in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts to accomplish the above result.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of our invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on the irregular line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a fragment of the device, and Fig. A is a bottom plan view of a portion of the operating handle.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, lOrepresents an openended canvas bag, the lower end of which is provided with a puckering string 11. Secured to this bag at spaced intervals are plates 12, each of these plates being provided with a trans verse slot 13. Secured to the puckering string is a hook member 14 which is, arranged for engagement with the plates 12 in the slots thereof. It is to be noted that the por tion of the plate at the lower sideof each of the slots is struck out of the plane of the upper portion, to permit easy entrance of the hook member. Carried by this hook member is a leather tab 15, which forms a hand-hold for both pulling on the string to draw the lower end of the bag closed, and also for manipulating the hook into engageto regulate the stroke of the plate 25.

ment in the slots of the plates. At the upper end of the bag is an adjustable strap 16 which is arranged to be engaged over the shoulder of the operator to support the bag. Disposed within the upper end of the bag is a metal band 17 which carries a plurality of eyes 18, said eyes being arranged for passage through openings in the lower end of a canvas conveying chute 19 and through openings in the upper end of the bag 10, rings 20 being detachably engaged in the eyes to hold the bag and chute on the band. It will be understood that the chute 19 is to be extended and moved freely about by the operator, the manner in which it is shown in Fig. 1 being merely for purpose of illustration. At the upper end of the chute 19 is a cylindrical member 21. This member is provided with a plurality of outwardly and upwardly extending pins 22 for engagement with the upper end of the chute 19 to hold the same on the said member 21. The upper portion of the member 21 has a plurality of openings 23, in the lower side of each of which is formed an outwardly projecting curved lip or spout 24.

Arranged on the top of the member 21 is a circular disk 25, this disk being provided with V-shaped radial openings extending through the periphery thereof and indicated at 26. Mounted on a central pivot 27 is a similar disk 28, this disk having V-shaped openings 29, which normally register with the openings 26 of the lower plate. The openings are of the same number as the lips or spouts 2 1, and each is disposed over one of these spouts. One edge of each of the openings of each of the plates 25 and 28 is beveled to provide a cutting edge to produce a scissors or shears action between the plates. Extending from one side of the member 21 is a handle 29 on which is pivoted a lever 30. One end of this lever is pivotally connected to the upper plate 25 by means of a link 31, this link being provided with a plurality of openings 32 so that adjustment can be maple n the underside of the outer end of the lever 30 is an elongated recess 32, the end wall of which has engaging thereagainst one end of a coil spring 33. The opposite end of this spring engages against a lug 34: carried by the handle and arranged to move in the recess 32.

It will be noted that the hook member serves a double purpose, that of engagement with the plates 12 to adjust thebag to various depths, and also as a handhold for drawing the puckering string. Attention is also called to the arrangement of thelips 2%, these lips being so disposed that they will support and guide the fruit into the chute 19 in the operation of cutting the stem. The arrangement of a plurality of shearing members makes it possible to reach out and cut the stem of a piece of fruit either directly in front, or to one side, or the other without necessitating any especial manipulation of the handle which would necessitate turning the device into positions uncomfortable for the operator. This would be the case if only the central shears were provided, as the operator would have to turn the device eit'her to the right or left, so that the stem of the fruit would come between the shears.

In the underside of the operating lever in advance of the pivot thereof is a notch in which is engaged a pin 36 carried by the handle 29 to limit the return movement of the "handle and cause the openings of the plates to register; WVhat is claimed is In a fruit picker, the combinationwith a Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing chute adapted to convey the fruit to a point of discharge, of a bottomless hollow member surmounting the upper end of the chute and forming an extension thereof and having a series of fruit passages in the side wall, which passages open through the top edge of said side Wall, a top plate for the hollow member having a series of radial openings communicating with the fruit passages in the side walls, said radial openings being adapted to receive the stems of the fruit, an oscillating cutter pivotally connected withthe top plate and having a series'of cutting edges adapted to move across the radialopenings in the top plate to sever the stems, a fruit guiding member located adj acen't each fruit'passagein the side walls of the hollow member to direct the fruit into the hollow member, a handle extending from the hollow member, and operating mechanism mounted on the handle and con-y nected with the cutter for actuating the latter. i V I In testimony whereof, We aflix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses; ELMER CLARENCE STAFFORD. v GEORGE N. STAFFORD.

Vitnesses: 1' I A. J. REAGAN, EDITH REAGAN. I

the Commissioner offlatents,

-Washington, D. C. 

